The Virtues Project Educator's Guide: Simple Ways to Create a Culture of Character

The Virtues Project was honored by the United Nations during the International Year of the Family as a model global program for all cultures and was featured on the Oprah Show as a method for teaching children to "do the right thing." This long-awaited guide for counselors, teachers, caregivers and youth leaders offers a wealth of character awakening activities and ideas for bringing out the best in your students and yourself.

The Virtues Project contains proven strategies for awakening virtues the gifts within. It represents a wholistic approach to character education that can easily be integrated into existing curricula in individual classrooms, counseling groups, school, day-care center, or youth program.

Major components include:

• The simple elements of character honored by all cultures and spiritual traditions 52 basic virtues!
• "The language of virtues" for drawing out the best in children
• Proven methods for creating a culture of character and reducing violence
• Powerful strategies to inspire Excellence, Respect, Kindness, Commitment and Cooperation in all students
• Success stories and activities from schools, Boys and Girls Clubs and childcare programs around the globe
• Activities for children of all ages
• Virtues in games and art

You will learn:

• Positive school-wide discipline with restorative justice
• Tips for Transforming Bully Behavior
• Counseling tools that empower moral choices
• One-minute counseling strategies
• How to begin the year with a shared vision
• Simple ways to introduce the "Virtue of the Week"
• Peer mentoring techniques
• Ways to turn your school into a community of caring
• A language which turns character slogans into behavior

To see more of this product's contents:

• Table of Contents
• Preface
• How to Use this Book
• Introduction
• About the Author

271 pages • 8.5 x 11 softcover • ©2000

Book Review:

“This program claims to move from shaming to naming by recognizing behavioral problems as teachable moments. Like Gibbs, Popov believes in a focus on positive virtues rather than judgements.  One of the many exemplary teachers in the book says, 'With harsh discipline you learn systematic mediocrity, so that you won't be noticed...shaming children discourages excellence.'  The book provides a superb overview as well as practical examples of how to spot virtue and activities for educators.”

—Kara Smith (December 2005, “Guides and Disasters,” Professionally Speaking, pp. 39–40).